In Milton, textiles exhibit shows comfort in crafts

By Suzette Martinez Standring/For The Patriot Ledger

Wednesday

Nov 7, 2018 at 12:25 PMNov 7, 2018 at 12:30 PM

Deep fall invites cozy stillness, and an appreciation of fabrics. Quilts, rugs, wall hangings and weavings soften the darkness. Baskets hearken back to close-to-the-earth times. Creating them is a meditation. Too often, their functional use, for example, what we stand on or sleep with, overshadows the true artistry of textile crafts.

Through December 2, an eclectic art exhibit, “Standing on Stories,” is featured at Gallery 334 of the Milton Art Center, 334 Edge Hill Road in Milton, which highlights weavings, quilts, rugs, sculptural baskets, multi media, knitted and felted works of art. Admission is free.

“Standing on Stories” represents a bridge between a craft’s history and the artist’s imagination to form a tactile record. Every woman has a story behind her creation, imbued with her touch. Mairead Dambruch of the Milton Art Center curated the works of seven local female artists: Alexis Agbay, Line Corcoran, Debbie Elliot, Nina Ennis, Virginia Holloway, Kathleen McDonough and Ellen Solari as visual narrators of modern times.

Weaving dates back to colonial times, and Debbie Elliot, 54, a self-taught artisan, has practiced the traditional craft for 10 years. For her, weaving cloth and creating rugs offer a peaceful refuge. She said, “Organizing strings in a certain way, into a pattern, is a meditative practice. It brings me to a place of centeredness and shuts out the chaos.” Elliot loves the sound as the weaving shuttle flies back and forth across the threads, her floor loom keeping rhythm as colors and patterns emerge. “The shuttle sound is ker-thunk, ker-thunk, like an old typewriter,” said Elliot. She said she hopes to teach as the next step in her creative process by giving lessons on using a floor loom at the Milton Art Center.

“Snowy Owl” is a quilted wall hanging that took Line Corcoran of Milton two years to complete. The soothing wintry tones are a perfect backdrop to the arresting gaze of an owl. Serenity for quilter Corcoran, age 50, is the solitude of her sewing room where she began quilting in 1998. She said, “It’s a visionary journey, watching the subject unfold, and how the next piece of fabric gets chosen. I audition each little piece. I step back and find the perfect fit. That becomes my world for a time, an immersion in colors and shapes.” Six of Corcoran’s works are featured in the exhibit, but she describes herself as a “closet quilter” because she rarely displays her art in public.

On November 9 the public is invited to a reception from 6 to 9 p.m. Curator Mairead Dambruch said, “Learn how to weave on a loom, meet the artists and take comfort in our community during these tumultuous times.” Admission is free.

On November 10 from 4 to 6 p.m. a $5 writing workshop builds on the exhibit’s theme of “Standing on Stories.” Patriot Ledger columnist Suzette Standring will offer “Write A Memory as a Gift” at the Milton Art Center and will use visualization exercises to enhance the writing process. The workshop is funded by The Garden Street Book Club in honor of Mary R. Clifford. Visit www.miltonartcenter.org to register. Drop-in guests are welcome.